It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
